New Delhi: Terming the violence on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus on April 10 as an “unfortunate incident”, the Vice Chancellor Shantisree Dhulipudi PanditIn a conversation with TOI, on Wednesday said the university has no issues with the choice of food and everyone has the “freedom to eat whatever they want and wear whatever they want”.
The Vice Chancellor also said that the university is not a wrestling arena or a field of politics. “If you want to do that, contest the election. JNU will not help your political career.”
Condemning the violence, the Vice-Chancellor Pandit told the students, “JNU is the place of Saraswati – please study, debate academically and fight academically. This is not the domain of politics.”
“First be an intellectual and be a leader at that level. We are still the best university and 95% of JNU students are serving the country. I agree we have 5% also because we are very visible and we Whatever they do, it is reported. But I think we have also given the best mind. External Affairs Minister, Finance Minister and so many IAS officers are all from JNU. This university made me who I am, said the Pandit. “This tukde-tukde narrative should not be run. Every university has a crazy fringe and JNU is no exception,” the vice-chancellor said.
Stating that “JNU is the most independent place in India”, Pandit emphasized the fact that the mess is run by the students and the administration has no role in it.
“What food will be made, it is decided by the mess committee. Nothing happened in 16 hostels and there was non-vegetarian food but I want to ask why such problem has arisen in only one hostel? Iftar party and havan both are happening at the same place. and it was going on for a week earlier. So why this objection regarding Ram Navami? I am also told that the objection was made by some other people but these are all interpretations. I have ordered a proctoral inquiry and Only then will we be able to ascertain the facts.”
When asked about the statements made by the mess secretary and mess warden of Kaveri Hostel suggesting that only vegetarian food should be served a day before the event, Pandit said that the students had decided on it in GBM.
“The students said amongst themselves that keeping in mind the religious sentiments of Hindus, we do not cook non-vegetarian food till the havan is over. All other hostels had non-vegetarian food and there was no such problem. The mess secretary has not given me now. Till now no official report has been received and only with the warden. We are doing proctorial investigation,” he said.
Terming it as a pre-planned attack, Pandit insisted that violence on the campus would not be tolerated and action would be taken against those involved. “Our administration has zero tolerance for violence. Till 4:30 pm that day, I was attacked on Twitter over food fascism. Where is the fascism? The administration has not involved the police. It was a group of students who attacked me FIR was registered first and then the other side also went. Please wait for the facts to come out.”
Pandit, who is also the first woman vice-chancellor of the university, said, “I represent difference and diversity. How many women vice chancellors have been appointed who speak about women empowerment? And that too from a non-Hindi heartland?”
The Vice Chancellor also said that the university is not a wrestling arena or a field of politics. “If you want to do that, contest the election. JNU will not help your political career.”
Condemning the violence, the Vice-Chancellor Pandit told the students, “JNU is the place of Saraswati – please study, debate academically and fight academically. This is not the domain of politics.”
“First be an intellectual and be a leader at that level. We are still the best university and 95% of JNU students are serving the country. I agree we have 5% also because we are very visible and we Whatever they do, it is reported. But I think we have also given the best mind. External Affairs Minister, Finance Minister and so many IAS officers are all from JNU. This university made me who I am, said the Pandit. “This tukde-tukde narrative should not be run. Every university has a crazy fringe and JNU is no exception,” the vice-chancellor said.
Stating that “JNU is the most independent place in India”, Pandit emphasized the fact that the mess is run by the students and the administration has no role in it.
“What food will be made, it is decided by the mess committee. Nothing happened in 16 hostels and there was non-vegetarian food but I want to ask why such problem has arisen in only one hostel? Iftar party and havan both are happening at the same place. and it was going on for a week earlier. So why this objection regarding Ram Navami? I am also told that the objection was made by some other people but these are all interpretations. I have ordered a proctoral inquiry and Only then will we be able to ascertain the facts.”
When asked about the statements made by the mess secretary and mess warden of Kaveri Hostel suggesting that only vegetarian food should be served a day before the event, Pandit said that the students had decided on it in GBM.
“The students said amongst themselves that keeping in mind the religious sentiments of Hindus, we do not cook non-vegetarian food till the havan is over. All other hostels had non-vegetarian food and there was no such problem. The mess secretary has not given me now. Till now no official report has been received and only with the warden. We are doing proctorial investigation,” he said.
Terming it as a pre-planned attack, Pandit insisted that violence on the campus would not be tolerated and action would be taken against those involved. “Our administration has zero tolerance for violence. Till 4:30 pm that day, I was attacked on Twitter over food fascism. Where is the fascism? The administration has not involved the police. It was a group of students who attacked me FIR was registered first and then the other side also went. Please wait for the facts to come out.”
Pandit, who is also the first woman vice-chancellor of the university, said, “I represent difference and diversity. How many women vice chancellors have been appointed who speak about women empowerment? And that too from a non-Hindi heartland?”